Brassiere



Jan. 12, 1960 BRASSIERE A. `o. WILLIAMSON Filed oct. s. 1957 ENTOR- @memwywl, awwwn Patented Jan. 12, 1960 BRASSIERE Anne Ohman Williamson,Chicago, Ill., assigner to The Format Company, Chicago, lll., acorporation of lllino Application october s, 1951, sei-tai No. 687,930

s claims. (cl. 12s-ass) The present invention relates to brassieres, andparticularly, to an improved brassiere of the padded cup type includingstay means for causing the brassiere and the pads thereof to retaintheir shape and to snugly engage the body of the wearer in a proper andcomfortable position `at all times.

A variety of stay means and manners of associatin the same with abrassiere have heretofore been proposed in the art for the generalpurpose of causing brassieres of both the strap and strapless typesconformably to engage the wearer, and for retaining brassieres of thestrapless type in the intended position. Many of these proposals havemet with varying degrees of commercial success, but most, if not all,suffer serious shortcomings. In particular, in padded cup bnassieres,the pads after use and washing lose their shape and render the brassiereill-fitting, and actually unusable due to the obviousness of the fact ofpadding, even though the brassiere is fully equipped in known mannerswith stays. Also, stays are considered by most wearers as a necessaryevil, particularly in strapless brassieres, due to the fact that thestays press sharply into the body of the wearer and result in severediscomfort.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved padded cupbrassiere, particularly an improved padded cup strapless brassiere,wherein the pads may be either thick or thin as required, the pads andthe brassiere retain their original shape despite extensive use andrepcated washing, the wearer is fully protected against discomfort, andthe brassiere snugly engages the wearer in a comfortable position at alltimes.

lAnother object of the invention is to provide an improved padded cupbrassiere, especially of the strapless type, wherein the upper portionsof the bnassiere are caused to engage the body of thewearer snugly andin a natural condition, even though the wearer engages in strenuousmovements.

The speciiic object of the invention, and the means by which the moregeneral objects of the invention are attained, is the provision inbrassieres of an improved ent of stay means comprising a pair of stayssecured to and preferably imbedded in each cup pad in a generallyupright position whereby the stays impart stability to the pads and thebrassiere cups with which the pads are associated, and are so paddedthemselves as to be practically undiscernable, especially by the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to so imbed the said pair of staysin each cup pad that the stays are quite widely spaced at their lowerends adjacent the lower margin of the pad, converge upwardly to adjacentthe upper margin of the pad, conform to the curvatures of the padwhereby the stays permanently retain the initial curvatures of thecupped pad and cause the pad and the brassiere cup with which the pad isassociated snugly to engage the body of the wearer.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description lof a preferredembodiment of the invention.

Now, in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner ofmaking and using the improved brassiere and brassiere pad of myinvention, I shall describe, in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, a preferred embodiment of my invention and a preferred mannerof making the same.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of an improved padded cup straplessbrassiere provided according to the present invention, the viewindicating in dotted lines the stays of the brassiere;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of one of the brassiere cups;

Figure 3 is a rear view of one cupped pad, the view showing in dot-dashlines the lines of juncture of the pad parts and in dotted lines theposition of my improved stay means; and

Figure 4 is across sectional view of one cupped pad taken along thelongitudinal axis of one of my improved stay means.

Referring now to the drawings, an improved brassiere of the straplesstype provided according to my presentl inventori is shown in Figurel ascomprising, as is conventional, a body encircling band 10 formed atleast in part of elastic or elasticized material and a pair of breastcups 12 secured to the band. Due to the specic improvements providedaccording to my invention, the brassiere is provided with a minimumnumber of stays and then only of such type and location as to assure thecomplete comfort and security of the wearer. In Figure l, the stays inthe main or body portion of the brassiere are comprised, simply, of avertical stay 14 disposed in the band 10 to each side of the cups 12 anda pair ofconstruction, is secured at its peripheral edge to the.

cup 12. p

Each of -the pads 18 is preferably formedy of foam rubber in any one ofthe manners hereinafter described and may be of such thickness asrequired for any given person. To attain the benefits of the presentinvention, thin pads may even be provided in brassieres intended forwomen who normally do not require the benefit of padding.

According to the present invention, stay means are secured to andpreferably imbedded within each of thepads 18. In the preferredembodiment as shown in Figure 3 a pair of stays 22 are imbedded in eachfoam l rubber cup pad 18 in a generally upright position to oppositesides of the vertical center line of the pad. The stays may be of anyknown type, but I prefer to employ the type comprising a length of wirebent to undulating form due to the fact that such stay is resilientlykflexible in both directions transversely of its longitudinal axis. Eachstay extends from adjacent the lower margin of the pad to adjacent theupper margin thereof and is bowed outwardly intermediate its ends toconform to the curvature of the pad. Each stay is preferablypre-stressed to bowed form whereby the same will normally retain theinitial curvature and shape of the cupped pad. Also, the bowing of theintermediate portion of the stay causes the ends thereof to exertinwardly directed forces on the upper and lower margins of the pad, andthus of the cup, to cause these marginal portions snugly to hug the bodyof the wearer at all times, even when ,the wearer leans',

forward or engages in strenuous activity.

Due to the conformation thereof to the initial curvature of the cuppedpad, and their rigidity or ability to retain form in relation to thesoft flexible material of the pad, the stays 22 wiil positively retainthe pads 18 in their original shape or form despite extended periods ofuse and repeated washings. Since the cups v12 and the inner coverings 20are simply formed of cloth and are stitched to the periphery of the pad,they will conform to the shape of the pads, whereby the stays preservethe initial shape or form of the brassiere as a whole. Yet, due to theirflexibility in both directions transversely of their longitudinal axes,the stays when the brassiere is in use will facilitate intimateconformation of the brassiere and the pads to the form of the wearer,thereby to insure a natural appearance attering to the wearer. Since thestays are rigid along their Vlongitudinal axes, and yhave rm engagementwith the body of the wearer at their lower ends, the stays will alsohold the brassiere pads and cups up in the proper position, therebyfurther assuring a natural appearance and affording the wearer completesecurity. Being imbedded in the foam rubber of the pads, the stays arein no way noticeable and the portions thereof bearing against the wearerare so thoroughly padded as to result in no discomfort kto the wearer.

While the pair of stays 22 may simply be secured to or imbedded in eachpad 18 in an upright position as described, with the consequentadvantages pointed out,

the present invention provides for optimum conforma,- tion of the padsto a shape duplicating the form of the ideal `or perfectly formed humanbreast. To this end, the stays 22 in each pad are disposed in upwardlyconvergent relation to the opposite sides of the vertical center line ofthe pad, the vlower ends of the stays being widely spaced and positionedadjacent the lower outside corner portions of the pad. By virtue of thisarrangement, excessive horizontal stress is avoided, the lower margin ofthe pad is spread and the 'upper margin of the pad is drawn in to assureretention of the desired form. This also enhances the body huggingfunction of the stays, particularly atthe upper margin of the pad wherethe function is` attained primarily by the stays and not by the band asis the case at the lower margin of the cups. The stays may be bowedslightly in the plane thereof, as well as transversely thereof, toinsure a prestressed condition positively retaining the pad in itsintended form.

The improved pad of the invention, i.e., the combined pad and staymeans, may be formed in a direct molding process wherein the pre-formedor pre-stressed stays are molded directly into the pad. For present daycommercial practice, however, I prefer to 'form the pad` in theconventional manner and to apply the stays thereto in a subsequentoperation. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, each pad 18 is formed ofupper and lower parts 18a and 18b. The lower part 18b is cut at with aV-slot in its upper edge and is then drawn together and glued orcemented along the edges of the slot, as indicated at 24, toformgenerally, one-quarter of a sphere. The top part 18a which is cutwith an arcuate lower edge, is thenbowed and cemented at said edge, asindicated at 26, to the upper edge of the lower part 18b to complete thepad. The stays 22,which as noted are formed of an undulating wire, areprovided at each end with a sheetmetal fitting to prevent the ends ofthe wire from piercing the foam'rubber. vThe stays are bent to a formcomplementing the completed'cup and are each cemented to a strip 28 ofV'foam rubber of a length and width greater than that of the stay. Thestrips 28 of foam rubber carrying the stays are then cemented to properposition onto the inner surfacev of the pad, thus effectivelytoeimbed'the stays in the foam rubber pad. In the preferred embodimentof the invention, an inner cloth reinforcementBO is then cemented overthe entire exposed inner surface of the pad 18 and strips 28 to completethe assembly of the pad.

In view of the foregoing, it is to be appreciated that the presentinvention provides an improved brassiere pad and an improved paddedbrassiere, especially of the strapless type, that assures completenaturalness of appearance, retains the pads, cups and brassiere in theirinitial and intended condition even after extensive periods of use andrepeated washings, assures the complete comfort and security of thewearer, and causes the pads and cups to securely hug the body of thewearer at all times even during strenuous activity on the part of thewearer.

While I have shown and described what I regard to be the preferredembodiment of my invention, it is to be appreciated that variouschanges, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

l, In a padded cup brassiere, the improvement comprising a pair of staysimbedded in each cup pad tor opposite sides of the vertical center lineof the cup, each stay extending upwardly from :adjacent the lower marginpad in which imbedded, Veach stay at its ends being spacedA -inwardlyfrom the adjacent marginsl of the respective pad and having its endsimbedded in the pad whereby the stays cannot 'dig into the body of Ithewearer.

2.In a padded cup brassiere, the improvement com-- prising alpair ofstays imbedded in each cup` pad, said stays being widely separated `attheir lower ends and extending upwardly in convergent relation fromadjacent the lower margin of the pad to adjacent lthe upper margin`thereof, said stays being spaced to opposite sides of the verticalcenter line of lthe pad, each stay being relatively stiff longitudinallythereof and being exible in both directions transversely of itslongitudinal axis, said stays intermediate their ends being bowedoutwardly in both directions transverse to a line joining the ends oftherespective stay, said stays exerting `a spreading force yadjacent thelower margin of the pad land a contr-acting force adjacent the uppermargin thereof forretaning the mounded curvatures of the pad, -andadjacent their ends exerting an inwardly directed force for causing -thepads and the brassiere cups in use snuggly to engage the body of thewearer.

3. In a brassiere, a foam rubber pad sewn into each cupl of thebrassiere, a pair of stays secured to each pad adjacent the inner`surface thereof, each stay Ycomprising an undulating wire and beingrelatively stiff along the longitudinal center line of the stay andexible transversely of said center line, the pair of stays on each padbeing spaced to opposite sides of the vertical center line of the padand extending from adjacent the lower margin to adjacent the uppermargin of the respective pad, said stays being bowed outwardlyintermediate their ends and conforming to and retaining the curvaturesof the respective pa'd, said stays adjacent their ends exerting aninwardly directed force on the respective pad and cup, and a foam'rubber covering for each stay.

y4. In a padded cup brassiere, the improvement cornpri'sing a pair ofstays yimbedded -in each cup pad, said stays being widely separated at-their lower ends and extending upwardly in convergent relation fromadjacent the lower margin of the pad Vto iadjacent the uppermarginthereof, `said stays being spaced -to opposite sides of thevertical'center line of the pad, each stay being relatively "stifflongitudinally thereof and being flexible in kboth directionstransversely of its longitudinal axis, said stays intermediate ,theirends being bowed outwardly in bothV jacent the -.lower margin of the padand a contracting force adjacent ythe upper margin thereof for retaining*be mounded curva-tures of the pad, and adjacent their ends exerting aninwardly directed force for causing the pads kand the brassiere cups inuse snuggly to engage the body of the wearer, each stay at its endsbeing spaced inwardly from the adjacent margins of the respective pad`and having its ends `imbedded in Ithe pad whereby the stay cannot diginto the body of the wearer.

5. In a padded cup brassiere having stay means imbedded in each cup pad,the improvement comprising that each stay consists of `a length of wirebent to serpentine form and having a fitting at each end thereof forpreventing piercing of the pad by the ends of the wire, the

serpentine wire being relatively stiff along the longitudinal centerline thereof and exible in both directions transversely of said centerline.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

